Pick-up arm elevator

ABSTRACT

A pick-up arm elevator for a record player, comprising a piston member downward mechanically biased and adapted to slowly move due to a brake force applied thereto caused by a viscous liquid, an elevating rod generally coaxially coupled with the piston member and softly downward mechanically biased so that the elevating rod can move up separately from the piston member and move down together with the piston member, and a pick-up arm table mounted on an upper end of the elevating rod for carrying thereon the pick-up arm of the record player. The piston member is moved up and down through a manual handle and, on the other hand, the elevating rod is moved up and down by either the piston member or through a suitable linkage by the automatic pick-up arm returning apparatus of the record player.

United States Patent [191 Nishiwaki et al.

[ Sept. 25, 1973 1 1 PICK-UP ARM ELEVATOR [73] Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Limited,

Yokohama City, Japan [22] Filed: Sept. 1, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 285,597

[52] US. Cl 274/23 R [51] Int. Cl. ..Gl1b 3/18,Gllb 17/06 [58] Field of Search 274/14 R, 23 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,717,350 2/1973 Oakley 274/14 R I FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,239,492 4/1967 Germany 274/23 1,072,821 6/1967 Great Britain 274/23 Primary ExaminerLouis R. Prince Assistant Examiner-A. J. Mirabito Attorney-John Lezdey et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A pick-up arm elevator for a record player, comprising a piston member downward mechanically biased and adapted to slowly move due to a brake force applied thereto caused by a viscous liquid, an elevating rod generally coaxially coupled with the piston member and softly downward mechanically biased so that the elevating rod can move up separately from the piston member and move down together with the piston member, and a pick-up arm table mounted on an upper end of the elevating rod for carrying; thereon the pick-up arm of the record playenThe piston member is moved up and down through a manual: handle and, on the other hand, the elevating rod is moved up and down by either the piston member or through a suitable linkage by the automatic pick-up arm returning apparatus of the record player.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing; Figures PICK-UP ARM ELEVATOR This invention relates to record players, and more particularly to a pick-up arm elevator to be combined with an automatic pick-up arm returning apparatus.

A principalobject of this invention is to provide an improved pick-up arm elevator which actuated manually and readily mechanically through a suitable linkage by an automatic pick-up arm returning apparatus. 7

Another object is to provide a pick-up arm elevator which is very simple in construction and compact in size.

Still anotherobject is to provide a pick-up arm elevator which allows the pick-up to softly lower toward the turntable.

Additional objects as well as features and advantages will become evident from the detailed description set forth hereinafter when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 through 3 are sectional views of a pick-up arm elevator according to the invention.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are enlarged fragmentary sectional views taken along the lines X X and Y Y shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Briefly described, the pick-up arm elevator of this invention includes a base member fastened on the motor board of a record player and having therein a downward directed bore which has an opening at its bottom end wall, a piston member axially slidably accommodated in the bore of the base member while being mechanically biased by a first resilient member and having an elongated bore extending through the piston in coaxial relationship with the opening, an elevating rod axially slidably accommodated in the opening and elongated bore while being mechanically biased by a second resilient member, a mechanically operable cam member connected with the automatic pick-up arm returning apparatus and engaged with a lower portion of the elevating rod for moving up the elevating rod against the mechanical bias, a manually operable cam member engaged with the piston and manually actuated to allow the piston member to move down due to themechanical bias, and'a pick-up arm table mounted on the elevating rod. 7

Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated a pick-up arm elevator of the invention in various operational states, which comprises a base member 10 firmly fixed on a motor board 11 of a record player. The base member 10 has therein a bore 12 directed downward and preferably cylindrically formed. An opening 13 is formed at a central portion of the bottom wall of the bore 12. A pistonmember 14 is slidably accommodated in the bore 12, which piston member 14 has an elongated bore 15 extending therethrough in coaxial relationship with the opening 13. A viscous liquid, for example a silicon oil having a viscousity of 0.5 milion centistokes, intervenes between the peripheral wall of the piston member 14 and the inner wall of the bore 12, so that a certain brake force is exerted on the piston member 14, reacting against the axial movement of the piston member 14. In order to maintain the viscous liquid between the peripheral wall of the piston member 14 and the inner wall of the bore 12, one or more annular groove 16 are preferably formed on the peripheral wall of the piston member 14. The grooves 16 may be formed on the inner wall of the bore 12, if desired. The

piston member .14 further has an annular recess of rea handle member 22 generally radially connected tothe cam shaft 20, whereby the eccentric end portion 19 acts as a manually operable cam member for pushing up the piston member 14 and cueing or allowing the piston member 14 to move down. Therefore, the eccentric "end portion 19 is hereinbelow referredto as a first cam member 19. A first resilient member 23 such as a spring is interposed between the bottom wall of the bore 12 and an upper recessed end of the piston member 14 so as to downward mechanically bias the piston member 14. The cam shaft 20 has an annular groove 24 into which a projection 25 fixed on the motor board 11 is entered so that the cam shaft 20 is prevented from axially moving. An elevating rod member 26 preferably having a rounded lower end is axially slidably inserted or accommodated in the opening 13 and elongated bore 15. The lower end of the elevating rod member 26 engages with a mechanically operable lever or a cam member 27 which has lower, slanted and higher portions 27a, 27b and 27c and may be mechanically biased by a resilient member 28 having one end fastened on the motor board 1 1 or another member fastened on the motor board 11. The cam member 27 is occasionally moved to the right in the figure against the resilience of the resilient member 28 through a suitable mechanical linkage (not shown) by an automatic pick-up arm returning mechanism (not shown). An annular stopper 29 is mounted on the peripheral wall of a middle portion of the elevating rod member .26, which settles the lowermost position of the elevating rod member 26. A second resilient member 30 surrounded by the first resilient member, is interposed between the bottom wall of the bore 12 and the stopper 29 so as to apply a downward mechanical bias on the elevating rod member 26 thereby to make the stopper 29 to softly contact with the upper end of the piston member 14. The second resilient member 30 preferably is less resilient than the first resilient member 23. On an upper end of the elevating rod member 26 is mounted a pick-up arm table 31 on which the pick-up arm 32 of the record player rests and slides in accordance with the advancement of the playing of a record on the turn table (not shown). The pick-up arm 32 therefore moves up and down in accordance with the axial movement of the elevating rod member 26. A stopping rod 33 is connected to the lower surface of the pick-up arm table 31 and partially inserted into a small bore 34 formed in aside portion of the base member 10 thereby to prevent the pick-up arm table 31 from rotating about the central axis of the elevating rod member 26. The pick-up arm table 31 may include a protective layer 31amade of a relatively soft material so as to protect the surface of the pick-up arm from unwanted injury.

When, in operation, the cam shaft'20 first manually rotated through the handle 22 to raise the first cam member 19, while the second cam member 27 locating at the leftmost position, as shown in FIG. 1, the piston member 14 is moved up together with the elevating rod member 26 against the brake force caused by the viscous liquid and the mechanical bias due to the first and second resilient members 23 and 30, so that the pickup arm table 31 rises up thereby to move up the pickup arm 32.

When the pick-up arm 32 is then slided on the pickup arm table 31 to a desired position, the cam shaft 20 is manually inversely rotated to move down the first cam shaft 19 as shown in FIG. 2, so as to cue or allow the piston member 14 to slowly move down due to the brake force caused by the viscous liquid reacting against the mechanical bias of the resilient members 23 and 30 until the lower end of the elevating rod member 26 contacts with the second cam member 27 as shown in the figure. The pick-up arm 32 is therefore softly moved down-to commence playing the record on the turn table.

When a desired playing of the record is completed, the automatic pick-up arm returning mechanism operates to move against the resilience of the resilient member 28 the cam member 27 to the rightmost position as shown in FIG. 3, so that the lower end of the elevating rod member 26 slides on the cam member 27 from the lower portion 270 through the slanted portion 27b to the higher portion 27c until the elevating rod member 26 moves up to the uppermost position against the mechanical bias caused by the second resilient member 30. In this instance, it is to be noted that since the elevating rod member 26 moves up without respect to the brake force caused by the viscous liquid intervening the peripheral wall of the piston 14 and the inner wall of the bore 12, the cam member 27 is subjected to a merely light load during the rightward movement thereof. It is therefore sufficient for a servomotor incorporated in the automatic pick-up arm returning apparatus to have a relatively small rated output power.

In an embodiment, the resilient members 23 and 30 were spiral springs A and B having properties shown in the following table.

TABLE Properties of Spring Spring Springs A B Effective Turns 10 20 Diameter of Spiral 6.80 mm 3.46 mm Wire Diameter 0.50 mm 0.26 mm Natural Length l9.6 mm 18.0 mm Elasticity When Compressed to 175g il% 47g 110% 9 milli-meter Elasticity When Compressed to l30g ilOk 3 lg 110% I2 milli-meter Elastic Modulus 7.5Xl0 ltg/mm 7.5 l0kg/mm FIGS. 4 and illustrates in detail the movement of the first cam member 19. When the cam shaft is rotated as indicated by an arrow A in FIG. 4, the first cam member 19 removes from the lower position to the higher position thereby to push up the piston member 14. When, thereupon, the cam shaft 20 is inversely rotated as indicated by an arrow B in FIG. 5, the first cam member 19 returns from the higher position to the lower position thereby to allow or cue the piston member 14 to slowly moves down.

It should be apparent from the above detailed description that an improved pick-up arm elevator has been provided.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact construction shown and described and that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A pick-up arm elevator for elevating a pick-up arm of a record player, which comprises:

a base member fastened on the motor board of said record player and having therein a downward directed bore and an opening at the bottom portion of said bore;

a piston member axially slidably accommodated in said bore of the base member and having an elon: gated bore extending therethrough coaxially with said opening;

a viscous liquid intervening between the inner wall of said bore of the base member and the peripheral wall of said piston member so as to apply a brake force on said piston member against the axial movement of said piston member;

an elevating rod member axially slidably accommodated in said opening of said base member and said elongated bore of said piston member;

a stopper provided on the peripheral wall of said elevating rod member and lying between the bottom wall of said bore and an upper end of said piston member;

a first resilient member interposed between said upper end of the piston member and said bottom wall of the bore for applying on said piston member a downward mechanical bias larger than said brake force caused by said viscous liquid;

a second resilient member interposed between said bottom wall of the bore and said stopper to cause engagement of said elevating rod member with said piston member;

a first cam member engaged with said piston member for moving up said piston member against the resilience of said first resilient member when manually actuated and for allowing said piston member to slowly move down due to said resilience of the first resilient member when manually restored;

a second cam member adapted to mechanically actuated for moving up and down said elevating rod member in cooperation with said second resilient member; and

a pick-up arm table mounted on an upper end of said elevating rod member.

2. A pick-up arm elevator as claimed in claim 1, in which said piston member has at least one annular groove on the peripheral wall thereof.

3. A pick-up arm elevator as claimed in claim 1, in which said second resilient member is less resilient than said first resilient member.

4. A pick-up arm elevator as claimed in claim 1, in

which said viscous liquid is a silicon oil. 

1. A pick-up arm elevator for elevating a pick-up arm of a record player, which comprises: a base member fastened on the motor board of said record player and having therein a downward directed bore and an opening at the bottom portion of said bore; a piston member axially slidably accommodated in said bore of the base Member and having an elongated bore extending therethrough coaxially with said opening; a viscous liquid intervening between the inner wall of said bore of the base member and the peripheral wall of said piston member so as to apply a brake force on said piston member against the axial movement of said piston member; an elevating rod member axially slidably accommodated in said opening of said base member and said elongated bore of said piston member; a stopper provided on the peripheral wall of said elevating rod member and lying between the bottom wall of said bore and an upper end of said piston member; a first resilient member interposed between said upper end of the piston member and said bottom wall of the bore for applying on said piston member a downward mechanical bias larger than said brake force caused by said viscous liquid; a second resilient member interposed between said bottom wall of the bore and said stopper to cause engagement of said elevating rod member with said piston member; a first cam member engaged with said piston member for moving up said piston member against the resilience of said first resilient member when manually actuated and for allowing said piston member to slowly move down due to said resilience of the first resilient member when manually restored; a second cam member adapted to mechanically actuated for moving up and down said elevating rod member in cooperation with said second resilient member; and a pick-up arm table mounted on an upper end of said elevating rod member.
 2. A pick-up arm elevator as claimed in claim 1, in which said piston member has at least one annular groove on the peripheral wall thereof.
 3. A pick-up arm elevator as claimed in claim 1, in which said second resilient member is less resilient than said first resilient member.
 4. A pick-up arm elevator as claimed in claim 1, in which said viscous liquid is a silicon oil. 